


Away with Words

by Myth_is_a_Mirror



Category: Lore Olympus (Webcomic)
Genre: Boss/Employee Relationship, Cheating, Eventual Smut, F/F, Hair Brushing, Power Dynamics
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-01
Updated: 2020-10-01
Packaged: 2021-03-08 00:47:04
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,642
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26756749
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Myth_is_a_Mirror/pseuds/Myth_is_a_Mirror
Summary: Far from the witless personal assistants Zeus normally hires, Hera's newest employee Echo is competent, supportive, and sharp-eyed. That made her dangerous. Petty power struggles with her husband were nothing new. A spy the queen could deal with, but Echo is far more complicated than that.No matter how much they should distrust each other, their hearts don't seem to get the memo.
Relationships: Echo/Hera (Lore Olympus)
Comments: 20
Kudos: 30





	Away with Words

**Author's Note:**

  * For [LesbianKJ](https://archiveofourown.org/users/LesbianKJ/gifts).



> Song on Repeat: ["Love from NGC 7318"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CjTjoQS1qyE) by Tanerélle, Barnes Blvd

“My head is _killing_ me.” Hera exhaled, not realizing the statement was audible until it was too late. 

A chair creaked nearby, and she stiffened. She’d forgotten Echo was still there, finishing up notes from their last meeting. Hera coughed and shook her head to make light of her moment of weakness, but her updo was off center. A few strands tugged in a sharp, painful way, and her headache throbbed double time.

Looking over, the blue nymph watched her. Those quick eyes always seemed to see everything. Hera knew the look because she used it herself too often, assessing situations, reading people. What did the woman want with her, truly?

Echo tucked her chin in and to the side, a deferential nod, but her gaze stayed locked on Hera. “May I help, your Majesty?”

 _Help?_ Confused, she studied her assistant closer. She held a comb between her slender fingers, glittering with a dozen or more dark gems. So fine for a nymph. _Oh._ Hera’s hand flew to the neck of her baby blue blouse, clutching it tighter. _She means to comb my hair._

What an indulgence in the office. Her head pounded, screaming for relief, and Echo _was_ there to help her, no matter how strange the woman made her feel. Her all seeing eyes and unflappable mood were welcome but unlike anyone she’d ever met. But Hera wasn’t afraid of anything, especially not her employees. And she still had her doubts about this one, considering Zeus had hired her. Keep your enemies close and all that.

“Fine.” Hera waved a hand and straightened her spine against the tufted back of her chair.

Echo approached with that same knife-sharp intention to her gait as the first time she’d walked in with a tray of tea. Not a single drop had spilled. Competence colored every movement. Her notepad and pen dropped to the wide desk as she rounded the chair. Hera couldn’t see her, but she could smell her, woodsy and fresh like the morning air off a lake hugged by pine trees. And she could feel her, a heavy energy at her back, so close but not touching. Impatient and full of nervous energy, Hera twirled her fingers to hurry her. “Okay.”

Hera startled when Echo’s fingers fell to her temples and rubbed. The stranger’s skin was warmer than she’d expected and so soft. Hera’s body swam with heat and a need so violent, she sucked in a breath to keep from gasping. Was she really that touch starved?

“Is this okay?” Echo paused. Her voice, so close and quiet, sent a thrill skittering through Hera, an illicit feeling. Surprise. 

She nodded with an incoherent _hmmph_. Words were beyond her now. She was aware of her body, every awkward twitch and bundle of tension, yet this woman’s touch was not unpleasant. It was, in fact, the opposite. The realization made her shiver, but she blinked and held back any further impropriety.

“Thank you,” Hera said before she could stop herself. When did her voice become so breathy? It was embarrassing. Any other time she would have jerked away or lashed out, but the steady, pressing, strength of Echo’s fingers rubbing circles at her temples held her captive, ensorceled, unable to move.

“Thank _you_ , Your Majesty.”

An electric chill washed through Hera. Shame. Echo had said _thank you_ as though serving her was a gift. What a joke. Her employees hated or feared her. It was all the same. She had no time for niceties. No one liked a bossy woman. Well too bad, because it was the only way to survive at the top.

“You mock me?” Hera asked, stiff and nervous, though still she had no power to leave the nymph’s caress. 

“I would never mock you.” That calm, even voice rolled over her in a disorienting cloud. She would make a lovely singer, the kind of alto that could enchant an entire room unawares. Echo’s fingers moved, nails snaking eight lines of sensation from her hairline to the base of her messy ponytail. Glorious. Almost painful. Hera could barely stand it. _Be the bitch_ , she thought. _If she wants to serve, let her._

“Take out my hair,” she demanded.

“I'll take out your hair.” Echo slid the elastic off and put both hands to work, briskly scratching her scalp. “It feels good?”

A harsh exhale tumbled out. There was no way to stop it. She gritted her teeth to stop from mewling like a cat in heat.

“I’ll take care of you,” Echo said with an authoritative edge. She gripped the heavy, mass of golden hair in a tight hold at her nape. Tugging back, the queen’s slender neck arched, and Echo rounded to the side of the chair, towering over her. “If it pleases you.”

Hera’s breath caught in her throat, and she closed her lips tight to keep from moaning at the pleasant restraint. 

From the moment the nymph had arrived in her office, she’d surprised her, in ways Hera hadn’t even acknowledged until now. So put together. Quietly defending her from that worm Apollo. And the sideritis tea. She could’ve learned of it from Zeus or Hebe, but she’d done it correctly. A healing, mountain tea. Perfect. Most disorienting of all, her similarities to Hades. It wasn’t only her midnight skin, but her supportive nature and quiet depth. At the same time, this woman was not Hades.

“Echo,” Hera breathed her name unsure if it was a warning or a plea. Her lovely dark face was everything, everywhere, could command anything in that moment.

“Echo serves her queen.” She bent down with a husky whisper at her ear. Lips brushed over her lobe, igniting fire through Hera’s body. Tingles burst over her skin, seeking more of the cool, solid force before her. This surprising slip of a woman. Hera swallowed and let her eyes track over the mountain nymph as Echo pulled back to stand. Her earrings danced while everything else about her was buttoned up, everything except a wild heat in her eyes. Had Hera ever been so stunned to silence, held captive and enjoyed it? Never.

“I'll tell you what I want to do.” Echo smoothed the hair at Hera’s temples and studied her face. Stern but gentle. How did she manage it? “And her Majesty will command me if anything displeases her.”

Gods, her body reacted in a riot of warmth. Her knees loosened. To be tended to so carefully with such diligent attention was intoxicating. No one treated Hera this way. She’d never let anyone, but she...

“You’re so tense after such a long day.” Echo dropped her hair and pet down the thick strands, grabbing lightly at chunks then letting her fingers comb through. One palm fell to Hera’s shoulders and rubbed a knot there. “I want to touch you.”

“Touch me,” Hera said, mouth falling open. Echo’s thumb rubbed over her bottom lip and the smallest tilt to one side of her mouth curved up, an almost smile that set Hera’s heart racing. She wanted to see more of that. The whole thing. When a finger traced the shell of Hera’s ear, she tilted to the side, giving acres of her vulnerable throat, wishing she would touch her there. Everywhere. Grab her.

“Beautiful. Golden.” Echo’s gaze darted over her as her free hand grabbed the comb. It sparkled in a flash before the dozen dull, metal points landed on Hera’s clavicle. The tines trailed up the long line of her throat then pivoted to drag up her cheek. Finally, the comb sank into her hair, tracing fire lines across her scalp. Echo sang out more praise, “Inspiring. A strong leader. So fierce.” 

Words of her own caught in Hera’s throat, things she wished she could say if she was brave enough to be soft. How mysterious and alluring she found the nymph. How entranced by her every movement. But she had no courage for that anymore. She was wary of getting close to anyone. The journey down to her shriveled heart was an impossible, cavernous route.

“Goddess of the skies.” Echo’s voice tumbled on, heavy but agile. The comb moved through her hair in long pulls as her other hand moved from kneading her shoulder to a grip on the back of her neck. A firm squeezing motion there drew a soft sigh from Hera’s lips. Still, Echo’s words rained down, “Queen of the immortals. A lioness among women.”

No matter what it looked like, this was not a nymph serving a queen. Echo was in charge. And this moment, listening to her smooth voice and feeling her hot touch was almost too much, almost too far beyond her control. _Control?_ Hera wanted to laugh, reveling in the electric sensations racing through her body. Her life was wildly out of control. But this… this felt safe. Different. To give into another's care and see where it took her. To give up control.

Could she ever truly trust again? Maybe moment to moment was all she had to give. Against all rationality, she felt safe in her care.

Hera cracked her neck, braced her gloved hands against the desk, and leaned back into the firm grasp with a sigh. Echo paused, followed by a deep inhale. After a long, silent beat, she resumed. _Not so unaffected, then._

Echo was far from the witless personal assistants her husband normally employed. Hera was sure Zeus had sent her to spy. This woman was downright dangerous. Smart but not haughty. Solid and driven. Careful. Since coming into her position, she had watched Hera like a hawk. To what end? 

In one interaction, Echo had turned the queen of the gods into a cornered rabbit. For the first time, she was ready to be the prey.

Because if Echo was cunning, Hera could be too.

**Author's Note:**

> I find this relationship intriguing but also see problematic elements. While not confident I can solve all of them in this fic, I figured I would state them up front. 1) Nymphs are often sexualized. 2) This would be an extra-marital affair. 3) Power dynamics can be ICK, both the boss/assistant roles and class/race differences. I do my best to not lean into harmful tropes, so we'll see how I do. Hera is not perfect by any means, but she is compelling and (I think) has a lot of potential for growth.
> 
> If you like my stuff, subscribe here on AO3. For more updates and thirsty content, I’m also on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/mythisamirror/) and [Twitter](https://twitter.com/mythisamirror). I’d love to hear from you any which way :)
> 
> Important disclaimer: The characters and world utilized in this are all property of Rachel Smythe. Any similarity between this fan fiction and Lore Olympus is due to common source material, in the form of Greek myths, or pure coincidence. This is a love letter to Rachel Smythe's body of work, and she retains all rights to the characters and world.


End file.
